Sweet Temptations
by Sapherius
Summary: A collection of Sasuke x Sakura oneshots. Ratings and themes vary for each story.
1. The Next Contestant

**Author's Note:** Finally, I've brought to you the first one-shot in my Sasuke x Sakura short story collections, _**Sweet Temptations**_. Each story will be a one-shot with different themes, so I'll be sure to alert you for each one.

**Title:** The Next Contestant

**Rating:** M

**Warnings: **Reference to rape, some nudity...not for young eyes!

**Summary:** Team Seven is sent on a mission to an obscure village, where they hope to hinder a perverted man and gain information about their worst enemy. But when things take an unexpected twist, it's up to one Sasuke Uchiha to save the day!

* * *

" I don't like this. I don't like this _at all_." 

The grumbling male voice echoed through the bright interior of the hotel room. Down on one knee, a young man of about twenty-four years of age, with long dark hair peeked at the crown and glaring obsidian eyes, bound the last cord on his teammate's silky, sexy red dress. His gaze was trained on the back of her neck, and his hands, though firm with the complicated knots, felt numb and clammy.

" Oh, Sasuke-kun, you worry too much." Twenty-three year old Sakura Haruno purred, gathering her longish pink hair off of her back and piling it atop her head. She spun away from him, keeping one jade eye fixed on the body-length mirror at the far wall. A barely perceptible nod of approval came from her fellow Jounin as he stepped forward and rested his hands on her hips, drawing her close.

Letting her fingers unknot from her tresses, the kunoichi leaned into his embrace.

Sasuke had only been home for three years, but his possessiveness over the girl he now called his had begun almost immediately. Within the first week of his return…while he was still on probation, no less…they had been dating. Many, many months later, they were still going strong.

Giggling, Sakura turned, and placed her hands to the Uchiha's chest, admiring his black shirt for a moment before shoving him back lightly, knowing any lengthy exertion of strength from her powerful arms could send him flying into some unsuspecting couples bedroom half a hallway away.

" I didn't see Naruto or Kakashi-sensei getting so worked up about this mission." The young woman commented. Her comrade grunted, crossing his arms with that old stubborn look that he hadn't shed since his Genin days.

" Yeah, well, neither of them is dating you." He groused. Sakura sighed.

She could sympathize with her partner…she hadn't been exactly happy, either, when Tsunade had elected their team for this task: They were to travel to an obscure village and hunt down a man who supposedly had details on Orochimaru's movements. The Snake Sannin was their main target, now, considering Sasuke had slaughtered half of the Akatsuki organization in a blind rage to reach…and kill…his elder brother, Itachi.

However, tempting this blundering bloke to their team's capable hands would be easier said than done. For while he was cunning, wise, able to see through almost any Genjutsu and skilled enough to interpret any Henge technique, the poor fool had a sweet tooth for women…preferably, skinny, skimpy prostitutes.

And that was where they had him.

Sasuke, however, seemed far from pleased.

" I know that Hokage-sama's orders were to let you seduce this guy, then hog tie him and drag him back to the rest of us. But there's no way I'll chance something happening to you. If I get a feeling you're in trouble, I'll intervene. To hell with the mission, you're far more important." The Uchiha heir tangled his fingers in his girlfriend's bangs, sweeping them from her wide forehead so he could plant a kiss there. For a long moment, neither moved.

Then a knock at the door disturbed their peace.

" I seriously hope you two are behaving yourselves." The lazy voice of their mentor and friend, Hatake Kakashi, came from beyond the wooden barrier. " I wouldn't like to have to explain any unusual stains on the bed to the hotel staff, you know?" Sasuke swore at his fellow Jounin, calling him nine kinds of perverted in languages Sakura barely knew. It made her giggle.

Then the door flew open, slamming the wall and nearly breaking off of its hinges. Naruto Uzumaki stood in the frameway, arms crossed, his blue eyes lively just beneath his soot-black headband.

" Yo, Sasuke, Sakura-chan, we're heading to…_the bar_." he uttered the words with a fake crypticness that made his Uchiha rival smack him upside the head for being insensitive. The blond howled indignantly, and then, catching sight of his pink-haired teammate, he stopped dead. Barely, he managed to mutter, " Wow, Sakura-chan, you look…" he shook his head. " Pretty. Really pretty."

The young woman gave a self-conscious twirl, and then stared down at her dress; it was red with a slightly carrot-colored glow here and there, adorned with fake glittering jewels. It ended just below her knees, making her feel uncomfortably exposed. For while she was used to wearing skirts, this felt so…wrong. So not her. Even the thin straps that held the garment in place seemed to bite into her skin in a way her normal day clothes never did. And the way her cleavage was exposed…

She sighed.

" Let's go, I'm ready." She stood up straighter, to her full five feet six inches height, just to underline that statement. Naruto nodded, and bounced on ahead, Kakashi trailing, his masked nose hidden in the depths of his porn book.

Sasuke and Sakura kept even stride together.

" Remember, I'm not going to let anything happen to you." The Uchiha repeated tightly.

Laying a hand on his arm, the kunoichi met his gaze earnestly.

" Sasuke, I'll be fine."

" But you're a ninja!" The young man exploded. " Not a damn prostitute!"

" you're right…I am a ninja. Meaning I can handle myself. Tsunade-sensei was telling me just the other day that she had to perform a similar mission when she was a Chunnin…one rank below us! And she didn't need help from Jiraiya or…well, neither of her teammates had to step in." The girl finished uncomfortably. Orochimaru's name was taboo with their squad, never spoken and thus rarely thought of.

They reached the bar Naruto had mentioned, and Kakashi ordered them all some sake. They sat in a comfy booth to enjoy the beverages and swap stories. Sakura drank hers for the affect of calming her nerves, which it did, slightly. She knew this place well, because her team had come in here four or five times recently, learning every angle of it, every hiding place, every alcove.

A hallway stretched out beside the counter, with white-door rooms facing each other across threadbare green carpet. These were the places where costumers went to

" tumble", as Naruto had so eloquently put it on a previous inspection. At the very end, in an old office, was where the rest of Team Seven would wait for Sakura to do what had to be done…that being whipping an unsuspecting fool's ass.

As they sat and waited, Sasuke folded his hands before him, rested his elbows on the booth's tabletop, and pressed his lips to his fingers. His dark eyes studied the dais nearby, where some women were dancing rather suggestively. It became obvious, however, that they were earning no attention. The five or six men gathered around were staring directly in this direction. Directly towards…

The Uchiha snarled as one of the onlookers licked his lips hungrily and pointed to Sakura, who was playing chess with a bag of beans and a board drawn on a napkin, competing against Naruto. Spitting under his breath, Sasuke wrapped his arm protectively around his girlfriend's waist.

Sakura started a bit at the contact, gazing sidelong at the young heir. His eyes challenged some men over by the dancing stage. While the kunoichi appreciated his affection, his jealousy, it was also a danger to the mission. If anyone realized she wasn't _really_ a prostitute…

As if he sensed her thoughts, Kakashi cleared his throat loudly. Sasuke shot a glare his way, and his hold tightened. Naruto groaned under his breath, and Sakura sidled sideways, escaping the Uchiha's touch. He looked slightly offended, for a moment, before his face went blank, and he stared back at those spectators, eyes narrowed.

At that moment, the door opened. Naruto, who could see without turning around and being obvious, lifted his queen. Sliding it around all of his friend's pieces he knocked her king over, before meeting her eyes.

" Checkmate." he murmured.

Sasuke felt his gut tighten, just as Sakura gave a swift nod and rose. She smoothed her hands over her dress, and then started as the Uchiha grasped her palm.

" Stay safe, and don't forget what I said." He growled lowly. She nodded, moved her other hand to brush his cheek…and then her fingers slid like water through his grasp. Sasuke closed his eyes, remembering her touch as he heard the heels of her shoes clicking away, towards their victim.

Sakura was nervous about this mission as soon as she saw the man. Hitori…that's what someone had said, maybe Tsunade, but she didn't really remember. The man was unshaven, wearing a pale khaki top and a purple cloth that fell to his knees, just above dark pants. Yes, he definitely worked with Orochimaru…but he must really be drunk to wear such an obvious giveaway in public.

Good. If he was completely conked out, tying him up would be a breeze. But since she couldn't make a scene…that had been the deal with the bar owner, who was so graciously allowing them to make their grab here…she had to take him away.

So, donning her best seductive voice, Sakura lowered herself onto the bar stool beside the man. She ordered sake for both of them, and then turned.

" Hey there, big boy." Suppressing the urge to shudder, Sakura rested a hand on the man's shoulder. His dark eyes lit up as she went on, " I haven't seen you before."

" I should say the same. And who are you, Miss Lovely?" Hitori demanded.

" Me? I'm just a wayward kitten looking for some…milk." The kunoichi pulled what she hoped was a sexy, small smile. She comforted herself by remembering that they were doing this to take down the man who had hurt her precious Sasuke.

" Well, then, Kitty." The man crooned. " What's your profession?"

_Is he on to me?_ Sakura wondered briefly. She glanced at the stage, and then recaptured her smirk. " Oh, I'm a pole dancer." She supplied. " What about you?"

" I do odd jobs, here and there. No boss, no master." Hitori boasted.

_Yeah, right._ The kunoichi grumbled internally. Aloud, she said, " Oh, with all that traveling, then, you must be tired. Maybe I can help you, or ease your pain?" The words were like poison in her mouth. The man's grin turned devilish, and the next thing Sakura knew, his hand was moving on her inner thigh, chafing the fabric against her skin. She shivered, and felt eyes burning into her, from front…and from back.

_Don't blow it, Sasuke._ She snapped mentally. Thankfully, he didn't.

" oh, you can relieve more than that." Hitori murmured. " More than tiredness, more than pain…" He fondled her some more, and Sakura was more then ready to bludgeon his face in…but then, the whole scene issue…

She extracted a key from the tiny folded pocket on the side of her dress, and dropped it on the counter.

" Come to the room for a good time." She purred. Moving gracefully, she rose, and glanced back over her shoulder. " Don't keep me waiting, Hitori. I don't like men who take a long time to deliver the goods." She winked, and then headed down the hallway. A glance at the booth showed her that Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke were already in the office, waiting for her.

Reaching the tenth room, two down from that last door, where her team waited, the kunoichi ducked inside. The plan was that, then Hitori arrived, she would have her kunai at the ready…the ones she had strapped to her thighs for the intimidation attack. She doubted she'd have to use them. Then, using chakra-forced ropes that were bound around her waist lightly, she would tie him up. Case closed.

As Sakura bent to loosen the pouches on her legs, she felt the door open. It slammed into her back, sending her rolling. Stunned, the girl still managed to drag the knives free. She bounded to her feet just in time to see Hitori shut the door…and lock it.

" Hey, what's…?" The kunoichi began in what she hoped was a smooth voice. The man snarled, all pretense of happiness gone.

" You filthy bitch, I'm not stupid. I never told you my name, but you knew. You're after me, aren't you? Well, it'll never work!" He rushed the girl, pinning her to the wall with large callused hands. The weapons fell from her palms and clattered under the bed as the girl lurched forward. Pain had spiked through her spine, but now she was going limp, her legs starting to feel numb.

Hitori swept her off of her feet, and threw her onto the bed. Sakura stared up at him in horror, biting her lip. This chain of events was unpredicted. And still, her lower body was frozen.

_Did he really hit me that hard?_ She wondered frantically. That didn't seem possible, but for whatever reason her legs just wouldn't follow her brain's commands to move like hell and get her out of there.

Hitori crouched on the bed beside her. His putrid breath, smelling strongly of alcohol, wafted across Sakura's face as he spoke.

" You may be a liar, but you're still game, Kitty."

And her heart went cold.

* * *

Sasuke paced the office, arms crossed, head bent as he counted the steps from one wall to another. Naruto lounged across the conference table, counting cracks in the ceiling, and of course, Kakashi was reading his perverted book. All three men, though loose, were anything _but_ relaxed as they waited for their female teammate. 

The Uchiha turned to stare at the door again, and Naruto sighed, turning his cheek parallel to the hard wooden surface of the desk so he could watch his friend.

" Yo, bastard, give it a rest, why don't you? You're driving me nuts." He complained moodily, with a slight taunt to his voice.

" Welcome to my world." The Uchiha snarled back. He resumed his pacing, and Naruto sat up, shaking his blond head furiously, ridding his eyes of the unruly bangs that had shadowed them a moment before.

" She'll come, Sasuke…Sakura-chan is strong."

" I never said she wasn't. But she's also in danger." The young man countered coldly. He glanced at the clock on the far wall. Then, with a shake of his head, he moved back to the far wall and started pacing.

Kakashi's eyes lifted over the edge of his book, and he looked amused.

" Sasuke, you burn calories walking back and forth. If you keep doing that, you'll be stick-thin by the time Sakura comes back." With a total lack of response, the Uchiha boy showed his usual disregard to the advice of others.

It was then that they heard it…faint, but still existent: A scream.

The three men didn't even bother glancing at each other. They had reached the office door before their minds had even registered what had happened.

Sakura was in danger.

* * *

The kunoichi wailed in pain as Hitori slammed her up against the wall behind the bed. His hands pinned her wrists above her head as he planted sloppy, wet kisses down her exposed collarbone, towards her breasts. Her legs were still numb, so Sakura resisted by twisting erratically, left and right, keeping her assailant darting after his goal. 

After a moment, he released one of her hands, moving to slap her into submission. Using her greater speed and strength, Sakura hefted her fist back and punched him in the face. Unfortunately, the angle of their bodies made it so that her knuckles only grazed his nose, sending him reeling, instead of propelling him into, say, the next country.

Hurling herself onto the floor, Sakura scooped up the nearest of her kunai and flung it at Hitori. He dodged easily, holding his bleeding face. The kunoichi attempted to rise, but fell back. Her lower body was still numb, and her back hurt like hell. It seemed a nerve had been pinched, or something along those lines.

Desperate, Sakura crawled over to the door. There was a two-inch crack at the bottom. Unable to reach up to the knob, the girl placed her mouth to the small opening and screamed as loud as she could.

" SASUKE-KUN!"

Then a hand grabbed the back of her neck; she was wrenched over into a flip. Her head cracked the wall, and it was all she could do to stay conscious. Enraged, with blood still spilling from his broken nose, Hitori hefted her up and pounded her against the bed. With his free hand, he stripped away her clothing, revealing her body, covered by only her underwear and a bra, and the chakra rope on her waist. The man fumbled with the cords, leering.

" A ninja, huh? Not so powerful, are you?"

Spitting up blood, Sakura didn't bother replying. She felt drained, trying desperately to stay awake. She struggled feebly as Hitori began to fondle her chest again.

_No…please…_

_You guys, where are you?_

* * *

" SASUKE-KUN!" 

The Uchiha heard the scream from the tenth room. He knelt down by the door, feeling hot breath ghost against his sandaled foot from within the chamber. Then he felt cold, hearing a whimper of pain from within, following a sharp snap, like a body smacking something unyielding.

" SAKURA!" Sasuke snarled. He reached for the doorknob, twisting it, but it held. Locked. He was being barred away from his teammate, who was likely being sexually assaulted.

Naruto was yelping at Kakashi to do something, and the Jounin was beginning to perform hand seals, summoning something that might open a path for them. Sasuke gritted his teeth, and backed against the far door. He braced himself, lowered his body, and clutched his left wrist with his right hand. Silvery-blue light glowed in his palm. Naruto and Kakashi stared in wonder and admiration as the Uchiha reared back.

_" Chidori!"_

He dashed forward and slammed the lightening-like attack into the door.

* * *

All of the fight had drained from Sakura. 

Resisting only feebly as Hitori fondled her breasts with one hand and her bottom with the other, the girl wished it would just end…that she could pass out, or die. Anything was better than enduring this torture.

And then she realized her hearing had grown static-y, like a thousand birds were swarming into her head, bawling. And then she realized it was no illusion. That became wonderfully clear when the door flew clean off of its hinges and crashed through the wall at the back of the room…then kept going.

Hitori, laying atop Sakura, glanced around with confusion on his face…a second before he was ripped away like a leech. Sakura scrambled upright and pulled the scratchy bed blankets over her nearly-naked body just in time to see Sasuke heft back a fist and pound the man in the face, knocking him to the floor. There was a redness of hate in the Uchiha boy's eyes that had nothing to do with the Sharingan.

" You." Sasuke snarled. " Do not…" He kept Hitori pinned by his throat and summoned the Chidori with his free hand. " Mess with…"

" Yeah! Get him, Sasuke!" Naruto cheered.

" My…" The Uchiha drew his palm back as far as it could go.

Sakura held her breath.

" GIRLFRIEND!"

The Chidori ate into the man's chest, sending blood flying up to splatter the ceiling and the wall. The kunoichi cringed, ducking her head and shutting her eyes. She felt weak and mortified, as if she was not a day older than twelve again…a pathetic, useless, recently-graduated Genin who did nothing but slow her teammates down.

Finally, she began to cry, not from relief or fear but from a feeling of utter uselessness. She knew Naruto, Kakashi, and Sasuke were staring at her, but she didn't care…not until she felt the blankets begin tugged from her hand.

" S-Stop!" She blubbered. " Sasuke, what are you doing?"

The Uchiha didn't utter a word, just held up his black shirt. Then, without an explanation, he proceeded to pull it over her head, in place of that stupid, stupid gown she had been wearing. His broad shoulders shielded her bare form from her other teammates, and the girl was glad. She braced herself against her boyfriend and sighed.

When Sasuke drew back, Sakura was sorry. The warmth of his bare chest against her cheek while he dressed her had been comforting.

" Are you hurt?" The Shinobi demanded.

" M-My legs are numb." Sakura whimpered. Without another word, Sasuke scooped her up in his arms, and transferred her to his back, where she could rest her head against the curve of his neck as they walked.

The shirt, thankfully, fell to the middle of Sakura's thighs, hiding her more private places. She still felt drowsy as they left Hitori's dead body in that filthy room, but she did manage to tune into what the others were saying.

" Never again, sensei. I'm not letting her do something like that again." Sasuke was growling with barely fettered rage.

" I understand your anger, but…what if we have a mission like this one come up again?" The oldest Jounin demanded.

" Then let Naruto play the prostitute." The Uchiha retorted.

" Heeeyyy!" The blonde griped.

And, despite her trauma, Sakura giggled. She felt Sasuke release one of her legs, and he reached back to touch her hair, as though assuring himself of her safety. She snuggled against his bare back, and sighed.

They had nearly reached the exit when the gawkers from the stage stopped their team. All six men were sneering, but one stepped closer than the others.

" Looks like your bitch took a beating. She won't be any good to you now…how about giving us a go at her?" he demanded.

Without even looking, Sasuke snapped out a fist, delivering an uppercut so hard, it sent the man flying upwards so that his head stuck through the low ceiling.

As they left, Naruto surveyed the dangling, flailing body, and whistled.

" There goes the next contestant."


	2. His Wish

**Author's Note:** I actually didn't mean to post another chapter so soon, but I decided to go ahead and add this one as well. Huge hugs and SasuSaku love to my reviewers: **Laura-chan**, **Tishni**, **avenged**, **cluelessninja65** and **charryblossom67**. And **Laura-chan**, I'm a HUGE fan of your works, so having you comment something of mine made me feel WONDERFUL. XD Anyway, enough babbling... on to the story!

**Title: **His Wish

**Rating:** PG

**Warnings:** None, really.

**Summary:** It's Sasuke's birthday and he's loathing it.

* * *

Birthdays.

Sasuke Uchiha hated them with a passion; every year since he was three, a party had been thrown…first, by his family, while they still drew breath. And then later, by his fan girls, who hoped to win his affection through the price or size of the gift they bought him. This seemed a selfish thing to him, especially when one of them ended up buying him a pink frizzy coat for his eleventh birthday.

Then, while he was gone from the Hidden Leaf Village, training with Orochimaru, the presents went away. He found himself missing them…not the big bean-bag chairs, or the "Will you marry me?" cards, or the scarves. No, he found himself missing the modest little gifts his greatest fan-girl gave him.

She was a tough one, Sakura Haruno. Though she always pledged her undying love to him through words, in materials, it was quite the opposite. A new clock one year, since he had mentioned his old one had broken down. A book on better Chakra control, to aide him in his growth towards power, the next. And a bottle of cologne the year after that. He had to admit, hers were among the few items he received that did not go straight to the dumpster. Not to mention, something inside of him lit up whenever she realized he had arrived on time by using the new alarm device, that he had read the twenty-fifth page in that book and learned a new technique, or that he smelled just like that fragrance she had purchased with her own hard-earned money.

And so it was that, after he became Orochimaru's pupil, a little part of him died without the constant input of inanimate support she gave him through those gifts. What wrecked him the most, though, was that he hardly noticed what was missing until well past his sixteenth birthday, after he had been dragged home by his teammates. Without Itachi to pursue or Orochimaru to snap at…both men were dead…he had taken to wandering aimlessly about the village, day in and day out. He had only been home for five months when his seventeenth birthday dawned, and Sakura insisted they go out together for a day. And so, humoring her because he had nothing else to do, they went.

Sasuke was surprised to find he enjoyed himself, despite all that had happened and the distance, unspoken, that lay between them. Not one shop in Konoha remained unvisited by the time the exhausted couple collapsed by the fountain that had been erected in the center of the village. As they lazed about and snacked…him on Onigiri and tomatoes and she on shaved ice with fruit…lights form underneath the water lit the enormous upheavals of water into a rainbow of shades.

Sakura smiled, and reached into her pocket, withdrawing a single yen, which she handed to her companion, with the simple words, " Throw it in and make a wish, Sasuke-kun!" he grouched and he grumbled, twitched and moaned, called it childish and dumb…but he did it.

As soon as he did, the girl withdrew another something from her clothing and handed it to him; a massive, three-pronged kunai, with smaller knives protruding from each tine. Sasuke thanked her with few words that barely expressed his immense gratitude…weapons were what he needed most, now, and her knowledge of that seemed to complete whatever holes his lacking sentences had dug.

They rose, and on wordless agreement began to circle the fountain, which had returned to its normal drab but somehow peaceful appearance, no longer lit from below, with only a single surging of water instead of many waving banners of it.

As they walked, Sakura casually inquired as to her friend's wish. With his trademark smug smirk, he responded to her question with. " if I tell you, it won't come true." This made her giggle, and the subject was dropped.

They had made several laps around the fountain, when suddenly, Sasuke stopped, and turned to his companion rather suddenly.

" You know," he began quietly. " Out of all the hundreds…perhaps thousands…of presents I receive each your for my birthday, yours always means the most."

" Really?" Sakura strove to confirm, her voice quavering with shock. " Why?"

" When you purchase things for me, you do it out of a desire to see my heart blessed and my needs fulfilled…not so that I will fulfill _your_ need for a boyfriend." he clasped her upper arms in his strong hands and drew her close. " Do you really want to know what I wished for, Sakura?"

" If you tell me, it won't come true." She responded meekly. He laughed, at that, and leaned closer. At the moment his lips brushed hers, the fountain erupted once more, swaying arches of beam-colored water cascading high, raining faint droplets down on the couple as they kissed beneath he stars.

When Sasuke drew back, the waters receded. Nothing had changed by appearance…it was all as it had been before the passionate contact. But something had altered between the two, something that bridged the gap worn in by time and betrayal, separation and reunion. Once again, they were friends, if not more.

" It's already come true." He informed her softly, regarding his earlier aspiration. " I wished for _you_."


	3. The Best

**Author's Note:** Haha, since it's summer, I'm going to try and write at least one story a day. That's not a PROMISE, so please don't kill me if I'm not able to do so. XD And yay, new reviewers! Thanks to **Tishni**, **Spread-My-Wingz-And-Soar**, **avenged**, **cluelessninja65**, **DarkAngelRakell**, **DreamCatcherKenshin** and **HPBabe91** for taking the time to review. sniffles I feel so special.

**Title:** The Best

**Rating:** PG-13

**Warnings:** Slightly OOC?

**Summary:** It's Sasuke's birthday, and Sakura is feeling jealous of an opportunity he has. Can the reclusive Uchiha protege reverse his comrade's bad mood?

* * *

July twenty-third.

A normal summer day for most people. A time when one might wish to be out, having a picnic or hanging with friends. It was a date that differed little from its predecessors, and would probably match up perfectly with those that came after. It was a complacent date, for most of Konohagakure's citizens.

For most.

But today was _today_, and it was _his_.

Sasuke Uchiha.

Sakura Haruno mulled over her friend's life as she buried herself in paperwork.

She could hardly believe that sixteen years to the day, the youngest member of the Uchiha Clan had given his first lofty cries. She imagined the domineering, oftentimes chilly air he emanated, and a soft giggle escaped her lips. She highly doubted he had been so standoffish as an infant, or perhaps even as a young child.

But after the massacre…

She sighed.

Sasuke had succeeded in defeating Itachi, with the aide of Naruto. IN repayment, the Uchiha protégé had led Konohagakure's forces straight to Orochimaru's lair. Infiltrating had been the easy part. But not even Naruto, Sasuke, and Jiraiya combined had been able to bring the Sannin to his knees.

In the end, Sakura had been the one to do it, sneaking from behind and driving a punch into his back that had sent his kidneys up through his mouth. Sasuke had returned with them. And now, here it was, his day of birth, and the young woman knew exactly what was in store for her teammate.

Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji were going to more or less kidnap the Uchiha protégé, and treat him to lunch.

Sakura realized, then, as she sifted through the hospital records, that she felt jealous. It was not long ago that she would have begged to be taken along. She did not, now, but the same feeling of being abandoned lingered, like a welt that never quite retracted. She was part of Team Seven, after all, and both of her teammates were going to be attending this secret lunch.

She pushed that notion aside.

She was no longer _one of them_, she realized. She was merely a castoff, now, having trained under Tsunade. She had given up her old life as a complacent, bubbly little girl, making the seemingly over-night transition into a young woman. She had given up such childish feelings as envy and desire to be in another human's shoes.

Or so she had thought.

Mentally berating herself, she rose, and headed towards Sasuke's apartment.

Lately, the Uchiha had become a bit more distant than she had remembered him being ever before. He nearly ignored her, but then, that was to be expected. He hadn't spent enough time in her presence to truly realize how much she had changed. It was likely that he still viewed her as a troublesome youngster.

She knocked on his door; his voice summoned her, quiet, and so she entered.

The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a digital clock on the bedside table. A quick glance showed Sakura that the time was nearly noon. 11:25, to be exact. A smile curved her lips, despite her feeling of abandonment.

Yes, it was nearly time.

Sasuke sat with his back to her, on the edge of the bed. He was perched with face in hands, elbows resting on his knees. Even from here, the young woman could see the sweat marks staining the blue fabric of her comrade's shirt. Concerned, she stepped closer, intent on comforting him. A heartbeat later, she decided against it.

She knew the Uchiha protégé would prefer to be left alone.

He spoke, then, his voice bracing.

" What are you doing here?"

" Neh…I'm sorry to bother you, Sasuke-kun." She shook her head, turning her back. " I-I'll go." She had hardly taken a step when his voice raced to her again, slightly pleading, though it was as low as ever it had been.

" No. You can…stay. You can stay, if you want." His tone was haggard. Startled, and more than a bit worried, now, the female ninja went to sit beside her comrade. He hardly reacted, only inclined his weight slightly towards her, as though he would have liked to brace his balance against her, if she would allow it.

She didn't, so he refrained.

Sakura studied the clock critically.

" Sasuke-kun?" She murmured tentatively, after a brief pause in which she gathered her various troubling thoughts.

" Hmmm?"

" You really do hate me, don't you?" The young woman inquired slowly.

" Tch. Don't ask dumb question, stupid girl. I think you know the answer." She glanced swiftly at him, and he chuckled, face still in hands, so that the voice came out muffled and crooked. " You're my teammate. Not caring about you would be becoming of some sort of beast…which I am not."

" Yeah." She let her voice trail off, staring outside.

" I have…nightmares." he spoke so suddenly and finished so quickly, Sakura wasn't quite sure he had spoken at all. She turned.

" You…what?"

" I have…nightmares. About the massacre. About the aftermath. It's as if my parents spirits are unhappy with me, and haunt me because of it." A muffled groan. " I attempted to do right by their eyes, even if they are no longer in this world. Tell me, Sakura, why do they trail me now, with intentions vengeful or otherwise?"

" Sasuke…" She carefully let the _kun_ slip from the name, this time, because she was talking to him on an equal-to-equal basis, at least at the moment. " Sometimes, dreams are no more than that. Just…visions. They pass, in time. We grow stronger, grow wiser, and shed our old fears and desires like a snake's skin. When we emerge, we are…" She drew in a shaky breath. " All the more beautiful."

The Uchiha did not seem to notice the unsteadiness of her voice, and only nodded. Sakura reached her head tentatively up to touch his shoulder, to rouse him , to save him from his trouble notions. But he ahs assessed her movement in a heartbeat and curled his fingers around her wrist, restraining her.

Shock replaced a resigned attitude as the Uchiha placed her palm to his back and arched himself into it. Slowly, the young woman began to rub, great, wending circles to soothe her comrade. An odd, purring growl rose in the back of his throat, vibrating his whole frame. Sealing a giggle behind firmly clamped lips, Sakura continued to work.

The doorbell rang suddenly, and the two teammates leaped to their feet. Sakura was shocked to see a half of an hour had passed, and it was noon exactly. Grumbling, Sasuke went to open the door…and was nearly sent flying when Naruto burst in, slung an arm around his neck, and drove his knuckles into his friend's head.

" Happy birthday, Sasuke-teme!" he cheered.

Shikamaru groaned; Kiba smirked, showing a bit of fang. Choji was so busy eating, he didn't show any response, only kept snacking.

The Uchiha protégé scowled, and disentangled himself from his best friend's grip.

" What's the meaning of this?" he demanded. To any person who did not know the standoffish young man, it would appear he was not appreciative of their presence in his home. But Sakura could see a glimmer of curiosity shining in his sulfurous eyes.

" C'mon, we're taking you to a special lunch!" Naruto informed him grandly.

Sakura attempted to match his smile, but that feeling of envy had just tripled in size, for the way her friend had announced the idea was tempting. She rose from the bed, and headed for the doorway, nodding to each of the male ninjas in turn.

" I'll catch you guys alter!" She spoke in a falsely cheery voice…and then broke off as Sasuke snared her wrist.

" No, you come, too." He growled. " Please?"

She blinked at him, and then nodded, a slow, genuine grin beginning to caress her face. She turned to Naruto, and he winked. Kiba and Shikamaru turned, Choji in tow, to head back outside, and Team Seven followed…with Sasuke holding Sakura's hand tightly the whole way.

And when he glanced at he, she knew an entirely blank chapter of her life was beginning to be written upon.

" This is going to be the best birthday present I ever had." he informed her, eyes dancing with mischief. And before she could question him as to his intentions, he leaned down and kissed her right on the lips.

Neither of them had ever had a better day, birth or otherwise.


	4. In The End

**Author's Note:** Thanks to Tishni, Spread-My-Wingz-And-Soar, cluelessninja65, DarkAngelRakell, and HPBabe91 for taking the time to review. I love you eternally!

**Title:** In The End

**Rating:** PG-13

**Warnings:** Slightly OOC? Death, Angst.

**Summary:** In the end, what really matters? What you say and to whom? SasuSaku fluff and death.

* * *

The droplets of cruelty fell upon the already damp earth, turning the warm, reddened earth into a cool surface, rivers of pink running through it. The swirls ran through the water-flecked grass, traveling onto a moonlit path, and under the bitter shoes of a shadowed figure. His raven hair hung limp from the rain, sticking to his face in some places; wildly blowing around in the bone-chilling wind in others.

He was bleeding, though no wounds existed that had not been healed.

Behind him lay the motionless figures of too many people to count. A bloody battle had been fought, and his eyes, dark as onyx, refused to look back. The sight behind him was not what had wounded him, but a mere handful of people he was leaving behind.

_"I still love you... I always have..."_

Her echoing, whispered words still hung in the air, haunting him in their simplicity. The words meant so much to him, and had been spoken in truth... and regret.

_"I'm so sorry..."_

Her hand had come up to grace him, her delicate fingers had traced invisible lines that had never existed. The rising opal in the obsidian sky had caught a gleam, and his coal eyes- shining brighter than he'd ever expected- had darted towards it. He'd seen it, and it had cut like a knife... the crystal tear on her left hand, surrounded by stones that matched the color of another's eyes...

He remembered, of course. The one he'd considered to be his brother... the one he'd been afraid to look at, in fear he'd follow the footsteps of the traitor he'd once called family. His saffron hair, and his obsession over burnt sienna. Oh yes, he remembered him... and now, he had a reason for his previous fear.

His blood had run cold, his dark eyes opening wide as he looked back at the girl he'd realized he loved.

_"Why...?" _He'd asked, feeling betrayal of another sorts. That was the wound, he knew, that would hurt the most.

And she'd put salt on that wound as her lips parted, her eyes, pools of eucalyptus, narrowing to keep her own tears at bay._ "You were my light... and when you left, I felt so cold, and so alone."_ She'd breathed, _"I... I wanted to forget you, and I felt that I could if only... if only..."_ A line of hurt trailed down her face, many more following- reminding him of the rain he saw now. Her breathing had become shallow, quick, and raspy..._ "Promise me!"_ She'd cried out to him, her free hand coming up to clutch at his navy shirt.

_"Promise me you won't leave me again!"_

His eyes had narrowed, he could recall, and he'd felt suddenly sick. _"I can't promise you anything, Sakura... I don't even know who you are anymore!"_ His voice had raised towards the end, feeling ashamed, hurt, and yet still... he could feel for her, like he hadn't felt for anyone else.

He could tell he'd hurt her as much as she'd hurt him, but all he cared for at that moment had been running as fast and far as possible. And he had. He'd let her fall as he stood, and felt his heart lurch as she cried out again, this time in pain, squeezing her cucumber orbs shut as tightly as possible. He'd backed away, feeling his pain spill from his own eyes, and he'd run.

He'd jumped over bodies, not looking at the S-ranked criminal, still cloaked in the red-clouded shroud of shadows he knew so well. He'd avoided him altogether, knowing that he'd have to stop if he saw the face of the first to cause him this overwhelming pain. He darted through the trees, but came to a halt as a familiar shade came into sight. Blood still slowly trailed across his skin from his many wounds, but his eyes remained sightless, a small smile of victory upon his face as his relaxed hand still held the kunai piercing Kabuto's heart.

Naruto... he'd backed away in horror, stumbling a few times. Not a moment after he'd lost sight of the recent Hokage, he turned around, only to have to stop again. His sensei... had fallen as well? Where was the mighty Hatake Kakashi's refusal to die before he saw _him_ returned??

Everyone, every last person he'd known so well was killed. They'd killed each other. Every last one of them had fought to the death... Tayuya, Kabuto, Naruto, Kakashi, Orochimaru... all of them.

And so he'd fallen to his knees, sitting there for so long that he had lost track of time. He remembered getting up once more, and walking slower than he'd thought possible, barely holding himself up- tripping often at that. He wasn't aware of the passing time, nor did he really care anymore. He'd lost it all, and no one was left.

And he knew he'd been walking for miles. He knew that the moon was beginning to set, and the sky was beginning to lighten. But that wasn't what he cared to see. He cared to see _her_, in his arms, and he cared to see what had once been.

Uchiha Sasuke, walking alone in a sense of nothing, the winter's chill biting through his clothing, numbing his senses. Exactly what he felt like inside. Numb, broken, and everything else one could feel after comprehending that there was nothing left for them.

In an instant, a beam of light spread across the sky, making him wince in it's brightness, and reflecting of his destination. The Valley, how he could remember every detail that was there.

"Don't..." A weakly pleading voice reached him, and he froze, his foot about to rise up off the muddy earth. "Please, don't do it, please, Sasuke-kun..." His head turned slowly, and his gaze locked with the one person he'd hoped to never see again... and hoped to be with for eternity.

Sakura let out a sob, near dragging herself over after him, one fist clutched tightly, her forearm across the midriff that was wounded so while her other arm dangled weakly by her side. "I love _you_, Sasuke-kun. I th-thought that it was c-clear before now." Speaking pained her, he could see, but he let her say the last words he'd ever hear from her. Her fist unclenched, revealing the ring he'd seen, and with all her might, she tossed it away.

He watched it skitter across the ground, falling off the cliff, less than a foot from where he stood, and down into the watery abyss below. He wished to join it, falling through the freezing air, faster than the rain could reach him. He just wanted it all to stop... but still, his body wouldn't move at his command. It was locked into place at her presence.

The wind and the rain stung his eyes, forcing him to wince, and his eyesight to blur. For a moment, she had vanished, and in that instant he was struck with a wave of fear- and relief as the second passed.

_'You just won't let me go, will you?'_ Sasuke wanted to shout, bitterness and ice in his words... but all that escaped his lips was a simple sentence. "Sakura... thank you. But you're too late, as was I." Though it was barely above a whisper, it carried the distance to the girl before him, who stared in shock as he allowed his balance to fail him before crying out and running after him.

As he began to fall, he saw her halt suddenly and keel over, coughing up a thick, red substance. The wind rushed around him in a harsh, yet gentle caress as his eyes closed of their own will. He felt a hand wrap around his wrist, his eyes shooting open to fall upon the all-familiar, pink-haired kunoichi he'd hurt in so many ways, who never stopped loving him when all he did was run away.

"I'll always be with you." She yelled to be heard, the sound of her sweet, melodic voice wrapping around him like a protective caccoon. He felt warmth spread through him, staring into her bright eyes, full of pain and love... and in the last instant, he knew that what she'd said was true.

He pulled her close to him as they crashed into the water, regret taking place of the cold as he took what he knew to be his last breath, making sure he at least caught one final scent before it was over- Sakura's.

They continued to sink through the river water, knowing by each other's eyes that this was it, that it was the end. But they both knew that, at least, they were together... they would die together. And that was all they would ever need to know…


End file.
